Our new friend--neutered male cat-- is a long-time stray--neighbors say he's been around for at least 2 yrs. We've been slowly getting him inside, and may make the full transition this weekend. What has been your experience with litter-box use? He remembers a little of being a housecat (he's very polite indoors, no scratching or spraying) but we don't know if he'll remember the litter-box.
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Litterbox reintroduction for a long-time stray - please advise
- Thread starter CarmenTV
- Start Date
Hi. I do not have direct experience with this, but have read numerous threads on this site that are similar. Many of the posters found the cat easily transitioned to using a litter box. Others were concerned enough about what might happen that they made makeshift litter boxes (cardboard box lid, for example) with dirt/soil/leaves in them to simulate their 'outdoor bathroom'.
You could also try setting up a litter box outside, perhaps on a patio or porch area and see what he does!
My closest experience was with a neighbor's cat that I found and had no idea who she belonged to. I brought her inside and she readily used a litter box. When I found out who her owner was, it turns out she is an outdoor cat and hadn't used a litter box for quite some time.
You could also try setting up a litter box outside, perhaps on a patio or porch area and see what he does!
My closest experience was with a neighbor's cat that I found and had no idea who she belonged to. I brought her inside and she readily used a litter box. When I found out who her owner was, it turns out she is an outdoor cat and hadn't used a litter box for quite some time.
I have only brought in strays and ferals, often in an emergency context, and exactly one did not use the litter box. You can get a lot of good litterbox information and support here on TCS should you have a problem, but if he is polite and not spraying those are very good signs.
Cats naturally want to use a litter box or something to cover their elimination which is why you don't hear about litter box training in the way that you do dog housebreaking.
The one cat who did not immediately transition is the sister of my avatar. When she lived outside as a feral, she mostly hung out in an alley and used the cement, leaving a big pile of poop eventually which is how I found out. Inside, she would not use litter but would use the litter box with a dog pee pad in it...sort of like it had to be a hard surface. However, once she figured out how much nicer the box is, she transitioned and I removed her other box with the pad.
Cats naturally want to use a litter box or something to cover their elimination which is why you don't hear about litter box training in the way that you do dog housebreaking.
The one cat who did not immediately transition is the sister of my avatar. When she lived outside as a feral, she mostly hung out in an alley and used the cement, leaving a big pile of poop eventually which is how I found out. Inside, she would not use litter but would use the litter box with a dog pee pad in it...sort of like it had to be a hard surface. However, once she figured out how much nicer the box is, she transitioned and I removed her other box with the pad.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #4
Thanks -- I've had other similar responses, so maybe this is one thing I don't have to be so concerned about. We'll put kitty in the tile-floored laundry room which opens to a concrete floored storage room where my dearly-departed cats had their litter box--
